Reversing mechanism for washing-machine drives



ug. 5, i924.; 1,504,084 J. R. SPENCER REVRSING MECHANISM FOR WASHINGMACHINE DRIVES Filed June 2e. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l /f i a Aug. 5 1924.1. R. SPENCER REVERSING MECHANISM FOB WASHING MACHINE DRIVES Filed June2.6.

1920 2 SheeLs-Sheel 2 F iB FIGB.

Patented ug. 5, 1924.

" rica.

JOHN E. SPENCER, 0E ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA.

aEvERsrNe .MEGHANISM Eos, WASHING-MACHINE nitrvEs.

application filed June as, 1920. serial No. 391,882.

T 0 all zc/Iom t may conce/Mt:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. SPENCER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Erie, in the county. of Erie and State of Pennsylvania7have madea new and useful invention in Reversing Mechanism forWashing-Machine Drives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to driving mechanisms for washing-machines orsimilar apparatus and has for an object to produce a driving mechanismwhich is simpler in construction and morepositive and effective inoperation than similar mechanisms now in use and known to me.

This and other objects which willbe made apparent throughout the furtherdescription of my invention.y are attained by means of a mechanismembodying the features herein described and illustrated lin the drawingsaccompanying and forming a part hereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a washing machine shownin connection with a sectional view of a portion of a driving mechanism'embodying my invention. Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line9i-Q of `Figure 1 and 'Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view for graphicallyillustrating the principle of operation of the mechanism embodying myinvention.

In washing machinesI employing a revolving clothes-carrying cylinder ordrum it is desirable to periodically reverse the direction of rotationof the cylinder or drum and one of the objects of my invention is toproduce means for effectively and positively accomplishing suchreversals.

Another object is to produce a driving mechanism for such machines inwhich more effective means are employed for reversingr the rotation ofthecylinder or drum than are now employed and known to me.

A fnrther object is to produce a driving mechanism for washing machinesand similar' apparatus employing a reversing mechanism so arranged thatthe clutch shifting device is moving at maximum speed at the time ofreleasing one driving mechanism and just prior toV the engagement of theother driving mechanism.

The mechanism illustrated as an I'embodi- `ment of my-invention includesa driving gear 5 which. is rigidly mounted on a shaft 6 secured oropenatively coupled to the rotating cylinder or drumr AzlAS-Sl10w-n, the

gear 5 is a bevel gear and is located within a casing 7 which may he`secured to the frame 8 of a washing machine. This gear is continuouslyin mesh with two gears 9.l and 10 which are shown as-bevel gears locatedat diametrically opposite points, with `relation to the gear 5, andwhich are loosely mounted on a shaft 11. A bevel gear 12 is shownrigidly mounted on the shaft 11 and meshing with a bevel gear 13mounted` on a shaft 14. VThe shaft 14C inaybe driven by a motor 15 orany suitable -driving mechanism, and as. shown, Va reduction. gearing 16is located between the Amotor 'and the shaft 14. i

The gears 9 and 10 are adapted to be alternately coupled to the 'shaft11 so that one or the other impartsV rotation from the shaft 11 to thegear 5 and consequently to vthe rotating'drum or cylinder. Asillustrated, this is accomplished 'by means of a clutch member 17 whichis splined or otherwise mounted on to the shaft 11 so that it is adaptedto be moved into clutching. engagement 'with either' the gear 9 or thegear 10. As shown, the clutch member 17 is provided at each end withlongitudinally projecting teeth 18,`which are adapted to engagecorresponding teeth 19 formed on the .gears 9 and 10. It will, ofcoursebe understood from the illustration that the teeth 18 at one endof the member, 17 move out of engagement with the vteeth 19 of one ofthe gears 9 and 10` as the teeth 18 at the other end vof the member moveinto engagement with the teeth 19 of the other gear. With thisarrangement one of the gears is operativelydisconnected from the shaft11 as the other is operatively coupled to it. It will also beunderstoodfrom an inspection of the drawingsthat the-gears 9 and 10 are so locatedwith relation to the gear 5 that they will drive the gear 5 iin oppositedirections, assuming rotation in one direction of the shaft 11.

1n the apparatus illustrated, the operation of the clutch'member 17 iscontrolled by a clutch shifting lever 2Oe which may be fulcruin-ed onfaVstationary. pin- 21 located within-the Vcaf'sing 7. As shown. the levermay `project through a suitable fs'lotf l22 formed Iin the casing sothat it'fmay be employed 'in manually shifting' the clutch 17.

This clutch shifting lever is `'controlled by a stop 23 through theagency of afinger 24 carried by the1ever20. ,As shown,` the stop 23 ismounted on a gear 25 which is rotatively mounted on a short shaft 26carried by the gear 5. The gear 25 meshes with a stationary gear 27,which in Figure 2 is shown rigidly mounted on a bearing housing 28 ofthe shaft 6. The stop 23 is preferably located near the periphery of thegear 25 and as illustrated, forms, in effect, a lateral eX- tension ofone of the teeth of that gear. It

\ will, of course, be understood that this spe- Y to roll around thegear 27 and at the same time rotate about its mounting shaft 26.

his causes the stop 23 to occupy varying positions with relation to thegear 5 at the end of each revolution ofthe cylinder, but

after a predetermined number of revolutions of the cylinder, therelative positions of the gears 5 and 25 are such that the stop 23 movesinto engagen'ient with the finger 2i and shifts the position ofthe lever2O for the purpose of disengaging the clutch member from the operativegear and moving it into clutching engagement with the other gear 9 or10.

It will, of course, be apparent that the stop 23 is effective as apositive power driven agent only so long as one or the other of thegears 9 and 10 is operatively coupled to the shaft11. and thatconsequently some means must be employed for carrying the lever past theneutral position, in which the clutch member 17 is out of engagement iwith both of the gears 9 and 10, and into coupling engagement with theother gear. As shown in the drawings, a snap spring 30 is employed forthe purpose of continuing the motion of the lever initiated by the stop23, so as to ensure a positive and effective operation of the clutchmember 17.

The snap spring 30 is illustrated as a compression spring, one end ofwhich is carried by a spring bloclr 31 pivotally secured to the lever 2Oand the other end of which is carried by a spring bloclr 32 pivotallysecured to the casing 7 at a point substantially midway between theeXtreme limits of travel of the lever 20. Assuming that the gear 5is'rotating in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 3 and that thestop 23 has vjust encountered the finger 24 of the lever 20, it will beapparent that a further rotation of the gear 5 in the direction of thearrow will positively move the lever toward its intermediate positionand that this motion of the lever will not only shift the position ofthe clutch member 17 but will also compress the spring 30. It will alsobe apparent that the spring in'being compressed will resist thecompression movement of the lever until the lever has reached anintermef diate position in which the pivot points of the spring blocks31 and 32 lie in the same straight line with the pivot point of thelever 20. It will also be apparent that any further motion of the leverpast this midposition will cause the compressive force of the spring toexert itself in continuing the movement of the lever.

In the drawings, the arrangement of the lever 20, the snap spring 30 andthe operative connection between the lever 2O and i? the clutch member17 is somewhat diagrammatic, but illustrates the principle of operationof this portion of the apparatus. It will, of course, be apparent thatthe clutch member 17 and its operating mechanism must be so designedthat one of the gears 9 and 10 is operatively disconnected from theshaft 11 before the other gear is operatively coupled to it. In order toaccomplish this and at the same time reduce the shifting motion of theclutch member and, therefore, the range of neutral positions to aminimum, I employ a lost motion connection between the lever 20 and theclutch member. lVith this arrangement one of the gears 9 and 10 will beeffective as a positive driving element` of the gear 5 and consequentlyof the gear 25 until after the lever 20 has moved well past its midposition. This insures a positive and rapid operation of the clutchmember 17 and effects a quick reversal of the gear 5 and consequentlythe clothes-carrying cylinder, since the clutch member is so designedthat as soon as one of the gears 9 o-r 10 is rendered ineffective as thedriving agent of the gear 5, the other gear is rendered effective. Thisis accomplished by so proportioning the clutch member 17 with relationto its travel and also with relation to the travel Vof the lever 2O thatthe teeth 18 iiat one end of this member engage the teeth 19 of theadjacent gear immediately after the teeth 18 at the other end of themember have disengaged the teeth 19 o-f the adjacent and co-operatinggear.

`Qne of the principal features of my invention is the mechanismdisclosed for operating the lever 20. This mechanism is so arranged thatthe number of revolutions between each reversal of the gear 5 may bevaried by merely varying the extreme positions or the limits of travelo-f the lever 2O or its stop engaging finger 24. It is also so arrangedthat the stop 23 engages the linger 24C while moving at substantiallyits greatest speed. This occasions a quick and positive operation of theclutch shifting 'mechanism, consequently renders the entire operatingmechanism more effective in op eration and reduces the length of timedur et fi ingwhiohthe cylinder Ystands still between reversals. i

Inl4 the apparatus illustrated the stationary gear 27 is provided with13 teeth, 5' whefreasthe. gear 25," which meshes with it,isf'provitl'c-d' with l5 teeth. `As shown in Figure 3,-1'the extremepositions of the lever 20 aresucl'i that.` the arc a, sulotended by :theentremej positions of the lever and measured from* the: c'enter' ofthe'gear 5 at its eX- treme positions 'in *which the stop 23 `engages"fthe *finger 24, iis.l 3 tooth spaces vir'ij'asu'i'fdon A'the gear 27.Every' revolution 'of the gear will` cause the stop 23, carri'ed"byl4the gear 25 toV fall back 2 tooth 'spaces withrelation to the gear 27.Gonse'quently with a 'continuous rotation in one Vdirection of the gear5, the' stop 23 will return to'itsnger engaging position everyTthfrevolution. The Vev'ersal of the gear 5 an`d"` thel`operation oftheclutch shifting mechanism; however,'occasions a shifting of the positionof the'finger 24 and also causes thestop 23 'to move back through thenger engaging position after each such reversal. As shown, the shiftingofthe lever 20 causes the finger 24 to 'occupy a position 3 tooth spaces(measured ongear 27) ahead of its original position when the reversal inrotation of the gear 5is taken into account. 'At lthe time of reversalthe shifting of the finger `24 causes "the stop 23 to occupy a position,with' relation to the new position ofthe finger 24`7 that it would haveoccupied after revolutions, assuming that the count began with the stop23 in a finger "ei'igag'ingiposition corresponding to the new position.of the finger 24. Under such conditions, vfive revolutions of the gear5 will bring the stop into engagement. with the finger 24 in its newposition. In other words an' operation of the mechanism which causesthe'lever`20 to move from the full line to the dotted line position inFigure 3, will cause a reversal of the gear 5, assuming Ithat the V,gear5 is moving inthe direction ofthe arrow in Figure3. This reversal'causes thestop 23 to move back through the position indicated in fulllinesin Figure 3, and a" continuation of the rotation of the gearl 5in adirection opposite than that indioated 'by the arrow would cause thestop to.y again occupy this position after l5 revolutions. r`Thefinger24 occupies the dotted linejposjitiomfand will, therefore, preventa continuation off the' reversed rotation of the .ge'arf'fsinceitwillintercept Vthe stop 23 la" ftliereb 4i 'r 5:

' position l"with relation: tol the finger24.-fin:thedotted-lineposition that it would have' occupied after 10revolutions, assuming that the count began with the stop 23 in the newor dotted line position and with the gear 5 rotating in a directionopposite to that indicated by the arrow. Consequently 5 revolutions ofthe gear 5 will bring the stop to the dotted line finger engagingposition. Inasinuch as the reversal does not talre place until theclutch member 1T is vactually disconnected from one of the gears 9 andl() and is moved into engagement with the other gear, the gear 5 willmalte 5 and a fraction revolutions between each reversal. From theforegoing, it will be apparent that the number of reversals betweenrevolutions may be varied by changing the ratios of the gears 25 and 27or by changing the extreme limits of travel of the finger 24. Either ofthese changes may be made without great expense and withoutnecessitating a redesigning of other parts, consequently apparatusembodying my invention may be reconstructed to suit operating conditionswith a minimum amount of expense and labor.

It will be apparent that the curve generated by the stop 23 is anepicycloid and that the stop is moving through the flat portion of thiscurve and at substantially its greatest relative speed with relation tothe finger 24 at the time it engages the finger. It will also beapparent that the speed of the stop is not appreciably diminished untilafter it has moved the finger 24 well past the mid position.` `With thisarrangement, the finger will be carriedpast the mid or neutral positionwhile the stop is moving at itsgreatest nger displacing speed and. as aresult the inertia of the moving lever and the impelling force of thespring 30 will positively and quickly shift the clutch member. 17. Thisis a material advantage, since a slow shifting of the clutch mechanism,which permits a dwell of the edges of the clutch teeth for anappreciable period is objectional because it is liable to break theclutch teeth and damage other portions of the driving mechanism.

IVhile I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variouschanges, additions and omissions in the operating mechanism may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forthby the appended claims.

What I claim isi l. In combination with the rotatable element of awashing machine, a drivingshaft,

"means between Asaid shaft and said element Vfor .imparting rotation tothe element first "in Vone and then in the' other direction.l a

stationary member, a rotatable member rev- 'oluble with said element andcontinually meshing with said stationary member, and a device actuatedby said rotatable member for controlling the operation of said means.

2. In combination with the rotatable elcment of a washing machine, aconstantly rotating driving shaft, means between said shaft and saidelement for alternately driving said element in opposite directions, arotatable member revoluble with said element, a stationary membercontinually engaged by said rotatable member and around which saidrotatable member rolls, and a device periodically operated by saidrotatable member for controlling the operation of said means inreversing the direction of rotation of said element.

3. In combination with a rotatable element of a washing machine, a driveshaft rotatable in one direction only, gearing between said shaft andsaid element for driving the element first in one direction and then theother, a stationary gear, a rotatable gear revoluble with said elementand meshing with and revoluble around said stationary gear, and meansactuated through the agency of the rotatable gear for controllingI theoperation of said gearing.

4t. In combination with a rotatable element of a washing machine, adrive shaft rotatable in one direction only, gearing` between said shaftand said element, comprising continually meshing` gears and a clutchmechanism for rendering one or another of said gears effective intransmitting power to said element, a rotatively mounted gear revolublewith said element, a stationary gear with which said rotatively mountedgear meshes and around which rolls, and means periodically actuated bysaid rotatively mounted gear for periodically shifting said clutchmechanism into operative engagement with one or another of said firstmentioned gears.

5. A driving mechanism for apparatus of the character described,comprising a driving shaft, a driven element, and means between saidshaft and said element for transmitting rotation from the shaft first inone and then in the other direction, in combination with a controllingmechanism for said means, comprising a stationary gear, a second gearrotatively mounted on said driven element and meshing with and adaptedto revolve around the stationary gear, and means actuated by said secondgear for actuating said lirst mentioned means to periodically reversethe rotation of said element.

6. A motion reversing mechanism for apparatus of the characterdescribed, comprising a driving shaft, a driven gear, two drivingpinions meshing therewith, a clutch mechanism for operatively couplingone or the other of said pinions to the driving shaft, in combinationwith an operating mechanism for said clutch mechanism comprising astationary gear, a stop carrying gear meshing therewith and rotativelymounted on said driven gear, a stop carried by said stop carrying gear,and vmeans actuated by the stop for actuating said clutch member. i

7. A driving mechanism for apparatus of the character described,comprising a driving shaft, a driven gear, two pinions loosely mountedon the driving shaft and meshing with said gear at substantiallydiametrically opposite points, and a clutch mechanism for operativelycoupling one or the other of said pinions to said shaft, lin combinationwith aclu-tch operating mechanism comprising a gear rotatably mounted onthe driven gear, a stationary gear with which said gear meshes andaboutwhich it revolves, a stop carried by said. rotatively 'mounted gearand means actuated thereby for shifting said clutch mechanism.y v

8. A driving mechanism for apparatus of the character described,comprising` a driving shaft, a driven element, means between the elementand the shaft for yalternately driving the element in oppositedirections, a stop movable with the drivenv element along an epicyloidalcurve, and means for controlling the operation of said iirst mentionedmeans and engaged by said stop while it is moving at substantially itsmaximum absolute velocity,

9. A driving mechanism `for an apparatus of the character described,comprising Aa driving shaft, a drivenelement, gearing between saidelement and said shaft, means for controlling the operation of saidgearto drive the element alternately lin opposite directions, and a stopmovable with said element but adapted to ,periodically travel at greaterspeeds than saidelement and to actuate said means while traveling atsubstantially its greatest speed.

10. A driving mechanism for apparatus of the character described,comprising a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a driven element operativelyconnected to said driven shaft, a. driven member rigidly mounted on saiddriven shaft, means between said drivshaft and said member for impartingrotation to the member, first in one and then in the other direction,and a device for controlling the operation of said means, in combinationwith a mechanism for controlling the operation of said device comprisinga lug carried by said member but movable at varying velocities relativethereto during the rotation of said member, for shifting the position ofsaid device while moving atsubstantially its maximum speed, yieldingmeans for device and a lost motion connection between said device andsaid first-mentioned means.

In testimony whereof, l have hereunto subcsribed my name this 28rd dayof J une,

JOHN B. SPENCER,

completing the motion of said Al l) il

